Combination abdomen-support and garter belt



June 14, 1955 BLATT 2,710,486

' C OMBINATYION ABDOMEN-SUPPORT AND CARTER BELT v Filed Nov. 50, 1951INVENTOR. I P404? 54/?- Hrwmvsys United ates Patent 2,710,486 PatentedJune'14, 1955 ice COMBINATION ABDOMEN-SUPPORT AND GARTER BELT PaulaBlatt, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 30, 1951, Serial No. 259,214

' 6 Claims. '(Cl. 2-41) This invention relates to a combinedabdomen-supporting means and garter belt and is an improvement upon-myprior Patent No. 2,569,953, October 2, 1951.

One object of my present invention is to devise a combinedabdomen-supporting means and garter belt in which the unitarycombination may be of such form and arrangement as to produce mostsatisfactory results from thestandpoints of efl'iciency and comfort,

--Another object is to so design my present combined form of device thatit may be wornwith a feeling of extreme comfort in the support of theabdomen of an expectant mother and also with a more efiicientpositioning of the garters along the legs of the wearer and hence withincreased comfort in this respect also.

Another object is to devise a garter belt in which the garters extendalong substantially straight lines at the front of the legs and in whichthe garters of each leg extend in a substantially parallel manner withrespect to each other; and in which the entire deviceis effectively heldin proper position.

Another object is to design such a-device in such manner that it maybeapplied to and removed from the body of the wearer in a most convenientmanner.

Another object is to provide such a combined device with an improvedform of releasable means that is capable of ready adjustment andengagement and disengagement-of the same.

Another object is to so design such an improved form of combined devicethat it will be of decidedly simple construction and hence may bemanufactured and sold at a popular price.

-.Other objects will appear from the following description and claimswhen considered together with the accompanying drawing.

.Fig. 1 is. a front elevation of my present improved device in positionupon the body of the wearer;

. Fig 2 is a rear elevation thereof; '.Fig. 3 is a view of the in frontelevation; and a Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the fastening meansprovided at the rear of the present device. 1

g It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merelyfor the purpose of illustration and that there might be devised variousmodifications thereof .without departing from the. spirit of myinvention as herein set 'forthfand claimed.

vIn the present form of'device, as herein illustrated, theabdomen-supporting member 1 consists of a-downwardl'y, folded body Iofsoft. material that -is of trapezoidal-shape, with its shorter length atthe bottom thereof, and that. .possesses elasticity in only thehorizontal present device itself, shown say, the upwardly and outwardlyinclined ends of this member 1 may correspond approximately with suchmedian lines.

Attached to, by sewing, and extending along the inclined ends of themember 1 are the duplicate elastic strips which have belts portions 2and 3 extending upwardly, outwardly about the hip regions and rearwardlyto the region of the back of the wearer where they may have their endsreleasably connected together, and which have garter portions 4 and 5that are adapted to extend downwardly approximately along the medianlines of the thighs of the wearer and to have their lower ends attachedto the tops of the stockings S for supporting the same. By virtue of theelastic character of the strips 2 and 3, they are adapted to conform tothe contour of the hip region of the wearer in each instance so as toengage snugly thereabout as an efficient, dependable and comfortablemeans of support. The means for connecting the rear ends of the beltportions 2 and 3 will be described below.

At points corresponding to the front hip region of the wearer, in eachinstance, that is at points in front of the sides of hips of the wearer,there are attached the elastic garter members 6 and 7 which are adaptedto extend downwardly and to assume position approximately parallel tothe garter members 4 and 5. Thus, both of the garter members for eachstocking are adapted to extend down along straight lines at the frontpart of the thigh, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the presentdrawing, and they are adapted to be attached to the stockings atefliciently spaced points for supporting the stockings in a mostdependable and comfortable manner and without any twisting of thegarters or of the stockings. Also, being attached at points in front ofthe sides of the hips of the wearer, the garter mernbers 6 and 7 when inoperative position will tend to hold the belt portions 2 and 3 inposition upon the hips of the wearer and will keep them from slidingdown over the hips.

The conventional form of clasp C may be provided at the lower ends ofthe garter members 4, 5, 6 and 7 for attachment of the stockings S; andeach of the garter members 4, 5, 6 and 7 may be provided also withconventional means for varying the effective length thereof. I

Since the belt portions 2 and 3 serve as the means for supporting thepresent device about the body, of the wearer, the continuous strips 2, 4and 3, 5 may be of somewhat greater width than the other members 6 and7.

As above explained, the members 2 and 3 maybe 7 releasably connectedtogether at the middle of the back orvlateral direction...This member 1is relatively wide, 7

although its height may vary, and is adapted to be positioned, beneaththe abdomen of the expectant mother for upward supporting engagement.therewith. The member 1 is of such length that its ends will beposition'ed; at. points corresponding approximately to the medianlines'of the thighs"of"the wearer; that is to of the wearer and I haveprovided a highly efficient and dependable means of connection for thispurpose so that this device may be applied to and removed from the bodyof the wearer in a most convenient manner.

As part of my improved form of connecting means for the belt strips 2and 3, I have adopted an old fastener member P which willnow be referredto. This member F is of substantially fiat form and has a closed eyeportion with the parallel parts 8 and 9 and has the parallel hook part10 which is connected integrally at one end to the eye portion and isopen or free at its other end.

With this old member F and with the belt strips 2 and 3 of suitablewidth therefor, the rear end of the strip 3. is extended about the outerpart 8 of the eye portion and is sewed in the form of a closed end, asindicated by reference numeral 11. The strip 3 is then doubled uponitself so as to provide a substantial loop 12, is then threaded throughthe eye portion and is thence extended about the part 9 and back uponitself so as to effect bind.- ing 'engagement about the part 9 whenplaced in actual use. As may be readily understood, the strip 3 isapplied to the member F, in the manner just described, prior toattachment of the strip 3 to the member 1 and even prior to theattachment of the garter clasp C to the end of the strip 3.

The belt strip 2 has formed at its rear end a loop 13 that issufiiciently large to permit insertion of the index finger of thewearers one hand as a matter of convenience in applying the loop 13 tothe free hook part it Likewise, the loop 12 may also accommodate theindex finger of the other hand of the user, if so desired, whileapplying the device to the body and while engaging the loop 13 about thehook part 10. The loop 12 may serve also as a means to permit adjustmentof the effective length of the strip 3 according to the size desired forthe individual wearer at any given time, thereby ensuring maximumefiiciency and comfort. The loops 12 and 13 may of course be made ofsuitable size to accommodate more than one finger in each instance, ifdesired, so as to facilitate manipulation of the connecting meansbetween the strips 2 and 3.

It is to be understood that the loop 12 will be upon the inside of themain part of the strip 3 so as to be engaged between the same and thebody of the wearer and thereby ensure against danger of the strip 3slipping J through the fastener member after the device has beenproperly applied to the body of the wearer. This manner of engagementincreases also the holding eifect of the strip 3 about the part 9 of thefastener member. It is to be observed also that the tapes or strips 2and 3 are between the fastener member F and the body of the wearer so asto contribute still further to the comfort.

Upon adjusting the loop 12 to the proper size according to the necessityor comfort of the particular wearer and upon applying the device to thewearers body so as to occupy position as indicated in Fig. l of thepresent drawing, the member 1 will bear up beneath the abdomen of theexpectant mother while the belt strips or tapes 2 and 3 will haveeffective engagement with her back and hip regions, as indicated inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

Then, upon fastening the garters to the stockings S (Fig. 1), not onlywill the stockings be supported in a most efficient manner but suchengagement with the stockings will serve also as a means of furtherholding the belt strips or tapes 2 and 3 in snug and effectiveengagement about the back and hip regions of the wearers body. In thisconnection it is to be noted that the abdomen supporting member 1 willbe affected by the downward pull of only the strips or tapes 4 and 5.Thus there Will be obtained a. well calculated balance of anchoringengagement of the device both upwardly and downwardly, while at the sametime there will be exerted the proper upward force to hold the member 1in effective and comfortable supporting engagement beneath the abdomen.

As a result, the entire device which is of elastic nature throughout,will automatically accommodate itself to the body of the wearer and willpreclude any strain or discomfort after having been once applied inproper position; and the effect of any bending or other similarmovements of the wearers body will be automatically distributed andabsorbed in a most effective manner so as to always ensure a feeling ofrelief and comfort.

To recapitulate, I have devised a light-Weight combined abdomen-supportand garter belt that is of elastic nature throughout so as to beself-accommodating and to preclude any possibility of strain ordiscomfort upon the part of the wearer. This combined device may bereadily applied to the body of the wearer, it is capable of convenientadjustment, and it is so designed in the relative arrangement of itsseveral parts that it will maintain proper operative position upon andabout the body of the wearer. Also, the particular arrangement of thegarter members not only contributes to the self-accommodation of theentire device and the maintenance of the same in its proper position,but the particular arrangement of the garters serves in a most efiective.and dependable manner to support the stockings and to ensure a mostattractive appearance of the stockings in straight condition at alltimes.

What I claim is:

1. A combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt comprising arelatively wide longitudinally elastic abdomemsupporting strip member ofsufiicient vertical extent to be positioned exclusively beneath theabdomen of the wearer in effective upward supporting engagementtherewith, a strip of elastic material extending upwardly, outwardly andrearwardly from each end of said abdomen-supporting strip member so asto be adapted to engage above the corresponding hip of the wearer and toterminate at the middle of the back of the wearer, the rear ends of saidstrips of elastic material having companion releasable interengageablefastening means at the middle of the back of the wearer, an elasticgarter member for each stocking attached to and depending from each ofthe ends of said abdomen-supporting strip member, and an elastic gartermember for each stocking attached to and depending from each of saidelastic strips at points corresponding to the region immediately infront of the hip of the wearer and to the rear of the corresponding endof said abdomen-supporting strip member.

2. The same structure as recited in claim 1 hereof and in which the endsof said abdomen-supporting strip member, when in use, occupy positionscorresponding substantially to the front median lines of the wearersthighs, respectively, and in which said first-named garter members areadapted to extend substantially along the front median lines of thewearers thighs, respectively, when in use.

3. In a device of the class described, a releasable fastening means forthe straps of wearing apparel, comprising an element having a closed eyeportion with parallel inner and outer side members and a hook portionconnected integrally with one end of the inner side of said eye portionand extending in spaced parallel relation to said side members andhaving its other end free, a first strap having its one end providedwith a closed loop extending about the outer'side member of said closedeye portion so as to be anchored thereto and folded outwardly uponitself and threaded through said closed eye portion and about the innerside member of said closed eye portion and outwardly through the spacebetween the inner side of said eye portion and said hook portion so asto extend thence back upon and to over-lie said folded portion of saidfirst-named strap, and a second strap having its end portion formed as aclosed loop removably engageable about said hook portion,

4. The same structure as recited in claim 3 hereof and in which saidfolded and over-lying threaded portions of said first-named strap willpermit and maintain adjustment of the effective length of saidfirst-named strap and in which said closed loops of said first-named andsecond-named straps are each of sufficient length to permit insertion ofthe users fingers therethrough so as to facilitate engagement anddisengagement of the fastening means.

5. A combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt, comprising arelatively wide longitudinally elastic abdomen-supporting strip memberadapted to be positioned exclusively beneath the abdomen of the wearerin effective upward supporting engagement therewith and terminating atpoints in substantially the forward median lines of the wearers thighs,a strip of longitudinally elastic material extending upwardly, outwardlyand rearwardly from each end of said abdomen-supporting memher so as toengage above the corresponding hip of the wearers body and about thewearers waist region and to terminate at the middle of the wearers back,the said strip being secured along the ends of said strip member therear ends of said strips of elastic material having companion releasableinterengageable fastening means at the middle of the back of the wearer,an elastic garter member for each stocking attached directly to anddepending from each of the ends of said abdomensupporting member so asto extend along substantially the forward median line of the wearersthigh, and an elastic garter member for each stocking attached directlyto and depending from the hip-engaging region of each of said elasticstrips, said garter members for each leg of the wearer extending insubstantially parallel vertical relation to each other when in use uponthe body of the wearer so as to preclude danger of twisting of thestocking to which attached.

6. A combined abdomen-supporting means and garter belt, comprising arelatively wide longitudinally elastic abdomen-supporting strip memberadapted to be positioned exclusively beneath the abdomen of the wearerin effective upward supporting engagement therewith and terminating atpoints in substantially the forward median lines of the wearers thighs,longitudinally elastic strip 1 material extending upwardly, outwardlyand rearwardly from and connecting the two ends of saidabdomensupporting strip member so as to engage above the hips of theWearers body and about the wearers waist region, an elastic gartermember for each stocking attached 6 directly to and depending from eachof the ends of said abdomen-supporting strip member so as to extendalong substantially the forward median line of the wearers thigh, and anelastic garter member for each stocking attached directly to anddepending from the hip-engaging region of said elastic strip material,said garter members for each leg of the wearer being adapted to extendin substantially parallel vertical relation to each other when in useupon the body of the wearer so as to preclude danger of twisting of thestocking to which attached.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS772,021 Bowen Oct. 11, 1904 1,324,802 Dix Dec. 16, 1919 1,497,840Clement June 17, 1924 1,525,957 Schneider Feb. 10, 1925 1,826,368Schneider Oct. 6, 1931 2,472,764 Shulman June 7, 1949 2,522,375 JonesSept. 12, 1950 2,555,892 Lazare June 5, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 447,784Great Britain May 26, 1936

